County to seek Ecology grants

Clark County Public Works’ clean water division will seek $2 million in grants from the state Department of Ecology after the county council Tuesday approved the grant applications.

Jeff Schnabel, engineering services manager for the division, said the grants would help fund four projects from the county’s six-year stormwater capital plan.

• Installation of cartridge catch basin treatment facilities on Northeast 99th Street between Northeast 25th Avenue and Tenny Creek, a tributary of Salmon Creek. The county is applying for a $765,000 stormwater grant. The total cost of the project is estimated at $900,000.
• Reconnecting the Cougar Creek channel to its floodplain using valley-spanning wood structures, protecting existing wastewater infrastructure, reducing bank erosion, and increasing wetland and riparian habitat. The county is applying for a $500,000 Centennial grant and the total project cost is about $955,000.
• Phase 1 of the Lower Suds Creek enhancement project, which includes removing a culvert and berm to increase floodplain connectivity and fish passage between Suds Creek and Salmon Creek, improve water quality by reducing temperature and sediment, enhance channel complexity, and restore wetlands. The county is applying for a $230,000 Centennial grant. The total project cost is estimated at $1.07 million.
• Reforestation to restore approximately 25 acres of riparian habitat on county-owned property in the Vancouver Lake lowlands. The county is applying for a $500,000 Centennial grant; the total cost is about $510,000.